Lupin's True Love

May 13, 1973

In the library, Veronica moved several papers around on the table as Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter made their way over to her. Remus dropped his bag onto the table next to Veronica.

"Hey, Vee." Sirius collapsed into a chair across from them.

"Afternoon, Siri." Veronica giggled as Sirius flinched at his nickname. "Have you guys figured out what classes you want to take next year?"

"Not really." Sirius removed his list of classes from his bag and dropped them on the table. "Do you have any ideas what you want to take, Vee?"

"I thought I would take Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes." Veronica looked over her list again.

Remus circled both classes on his list. "How about also taking Arithmancy?"

"Do you really want her to be smarter than the three of us?" Sirius barely glanced at Remus.

"You're one to talk. You gave her 1001 Charms for Every Day Use for Christmas." James circled Arithmancy on his paper. "She read it in less than a day and has been using those charms ever since we got back to school."

"Sorry about that." Sirius circled the classes on his paper. "I guess Divination is out."

"That class is a load of dragon dung." Veronica rolled her eyes. "No one knows for sure that any prophecies have come true in the last hundred years."

"She's right. That would be a cake walk." Sirius looked over the list once more. "I guess that's all we need to take next year."

"Yeah." James looked down the list once again. "We'll all have to help Peter."

Veronica shivered slightly as she shoved the paper back in her bag. "Let's talk about something else."

"Sure." Remus pulled out his potions book. "Next year we'll get to go to Hogsmeade on certain weekends. I can't wait."

"Neither can I." Veronica picked up her bag and climbed to her feet. "I need to head back to the common room. I'll see you guys later. No pranks on Slytherin." She glared at James and Sirius. "PROMISE?"

"We promise." James and Sirius held up their right hands.

"Good." Veronica moved away from the table. She made her way past Madam Pince. "Good afternoon, Madam Pince."

"Have a good day, Miss Croft." Madam Pince glanced up from her book.

Veronica made her way toward the common room. Severus stepped into the hallway before her. He bowed slightly as she smiled.

"Hello, Severus."

"Veronica, I thought you should know that Bellatrix is waiting for you at the end of this corridor." Severus glanced behind him. "I would suggest you go another way."

"Thanks for the warning, Severus." Veronica pulled her bag higher onto her shoulder. "I'll see you at the match tomorrow, right?"

"Of course. I don't expect Gryffindor to beat Slytherin though."

"Is that a bet?" Veronica smirked slightly.

"What would you like to bet?"

"If Gryffindor does as well as I think we will, you have to try and get along with James and Sirius for a week."

"And if Slytherin wins, you have to attend Hogsmeade on our first weekend."

Veronica held out her hand. "That's a bet."

Severus gripped Veronica's hand slightly. "I'll take you to the nicest place I can think of for our weekend."

"Don't put the cart before the horse, Severus. You seem to forget that I'm on the Gryffindor team and I want to win." Veronica turned and flounced down a flight of stairs.

She slowly made her way toward the common room. She heard running feet behind her and she turned around. She saw Peter sunning toward her with several Slytherins chasing him. Veronica slipped between two suits of armor as Peter fell onto his face.

One of the Slytherins pulled Peter to his feet. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

"I'm not sure, Rosier, but it looks like a Gryffindor spy." One of the other Slytherins glanced around the corridor.

"You're right, Nott." Evan Rosier shook Peter slightly. "What should we do with him?" Evan turned to another of the Slytherins. "What so you say, Diana?"

Diana Cauldwell smirked slightly. "Perhaps we could do to him what we did to those stupid Krups."

"That sounds like an excellent idea, my dear." Stuart Nott pulled out a roll and slowly began muttering over it.

Veronica jumped from behind the armor and shoved through the group. She swung her bag at Evan's head and managed to free Peter. "Run, Peter!" Veronica turned and faced the Slytherins.

"Well, wheat do we have here? A Mudblood saving the spy?" Evan rubbed his head where Veronica's bag had hit him.

"Not really but I hate to see the helpless get hurt." Veronica slowly moved her hand toward her wand. "You guys are such gutless cowards. You have to pick on the helpless and weak. You can't get the people who know how to fight back."

"She is correct." A new voice floated from behind the group. "You should have chosen Potter or Black. They are blood traitors because they are friends with this mere slip of a girl."

"We're sorry, Radolphus, but we caught Pettigrew spying on our Quidditch team." Stuart bowed slightly to Radolphus Lestrange.

"Perhaps we should make an example out of the Gryffindor's seeker." Radolphus pulled his wand out and pointed it at Veronica.

"Yeah and maybe you should go and challenge a dragon for its supper." Veronica whipped her wand out. "Petrificus Totalus!"

"Protego!" A shield formed between Veronica and Radolphus.

Veronica flipped to one side as the rebounded spell flew past her and hit Diana. "You missed, you big lughead!" Veronica grabbed her bag from the floor and ran up the corridor.

"After her!!" Radolphus knelt over Diana as the others chased Veronica through the corridors.

Veronica flew around the corner and saw Peeves floating further down the corridor. "Hey, Peeves!"

Peeves turned and saw Veronica. "Why, it's Miss Croft."

"There are some Slytherins waiting for you to play a trick on them in the next corridor." Veronica watched as Peeves eyes lit up slightly.

"Thank you so very much my dear. I believe I'll drop some armor on them." Peeves bowed slightly and floated through the wall.

Veronica heard the shouts behind her and took off like a rabbit down the hall. She rushed up the stairs as several suits of armor clattered and clanged as they fell on the floor below. Veronica laughed aloud as she managed to get to the safety of the common room. She huffed and puffed slightly as she sank onto one of the armchairs before the fire. James and Remus stepped into the common room as Sirius helped Peter through the door.

"There you are." James ran over to Veronica. "Peter told us what happened. Are you hurt?"

"What made you decide to attack a group of Slytherins?" Remus sank onto the floor before her.

"Well, I think it was when they said that they were going to poison him exactly like they did to a family of Krups. I knew I had to help no matter what they did to me." Veronica dropped her bag to the floor as Peter nodded slightly. "Besides I called them all gutless cowards and one of their own agreed with me."

Remus shook his head as Veronica climbed to her feet and moved toward the dormitory stairs. "I'd watch my back for a few days, Veronica."

"I won't watch my back because I'll be to busy watch the rest of yours." Veronica flounced up the stairs as the guys gaped after her.